EFCC Seizes $2.045m, Property Papers from Emefiele’s Lawye

David Jaiyeoba, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Abuja that $2.045 million in cash and several property documents were traceable to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

During her testimony in the current trial, Jaiyeoba, the 12th prosecution witness and an EFCC agent, connected the money and real estate purchases to bank transactions, approvals, and statements gathered during the commission’s investigation.

The witness, led in testimony by Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC head of public prosecutions, cited many CBN internal memos authorizing payments for the refurbishment, landscaping, power supply, and furnishings of the former Apex Bank governor’s private property in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The witness informed the court that a number of documents, including an internal CBN note authorizing payments to Architeco Nigeria Limited for renovations in Emefiele’s home, were introduced as exhibits.

A contract outlining the landscaping services provided by the same company at the Ikoyi property was also tendered.

He also cited another internal CBN memo that asked for permission to pay Architeco Nigeria Limited N97,998,416.38 for office equipment, pointing out that Emefiele had granted the request.

Furthermore, exhibit A8 was identified by the witness as an internal memo related to a contract for the construction of dedicated electricity lines at the Ikoyi property. He claimed that the paper had the defendant’s approval and was supported by an interim payment certificate.

Jaiyeoba further informed the court that the EFCC contacted Zenith Bank to follow the defendant’s bank account as part of the investigation.

He recognized Exhibits ED1, ED2, and ED3 as Zenith Bank’s responses about Emefiele’s account.

The witness stated that N4 million was paid to Architeco Nigeria Limited on January 13, 2015, through a debit transaction on account number 2020000064.

The investigation resulted in the recovery of $2.045 million, multiple properties, and title documents from Zenith Bank Plc’s Lagos headquarters, the court was further informed.

“My Lord, the money, totaling $2,045,000, along with a number of properties and title documents, were found in the possession of Mr. Collins Omeke, the defendant’s attorney, at the Zenith Bank Plc headquarters in Lagos,” he stated.

He stated that Omeke told investigators he had been purchasing houses and preparing title paperwork on the directions of the defendant.

“He confirmed that the defendant was in the habit of giving him cash sums in foreign currency, specifically United States dollars, for the acquisition of those properties when asked how he funded these acquisitions, My Lord,” the witness said.

The witness went on to tell the court that Omeke said that Eric Ocheme Udoh had delivered the money that had been recovered from him on behalf of the defendant, and that some of the money had been used to remodel portions of Emefiele’s property.

The prosecution requested that the court postpone the trial until March 3, 5, 16, and 17, 2026, at the conclusion of the session.

Matthew Burkaaa, defence counsel, did not oppose the application but argued there was repetition of evidence, adding that an earlier witness, PW7, had already identified approvals pertaining to the transactions.

He cautioned that if the tendency persisted in later sessions, the defense would raise an objection.

In response, the prosecution requested the court to let it present its evidence however it saw proper, arguing that the consistency of its case justified the strategy.

The trial judge, Hamza Muazu, expressed worry in his remarks that the prosecution seemed “too careful” and frequently needed the court’s prompting, although he promised to make accommodations.

In order to continue the trial, he accordingly postponed the case to March 5, 16, and 17, 2026.